


In the Morning of the World

by amyfortuna



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Injuries, Mountaineering, Story within a Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-12-17 18:16:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11856978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amyfortuna/pseuds/amyfortuna
Summary: Elrohir asks for a story of Valinor from Glorfindel.





	In the Morning of the World

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tabru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabru/gifts).



**Year 200, Fourth Age**

Elrohir was, for once, not in the stables tending to his beloved horses, or off on errantry, or attending to any of the many household tasks that fell to his part as Elladan's second in the running and oversight of Rivendell. It was a fair summer's day, and Glorfindel reflected as he approached that he might have expected to find his lover there, resting peacefully against a shady tree, looking out at the sky.

Giving him a smile and a wave as he came forward, Glorfindel at last settled down next to Elrohir and was surprised again as he nestled down with his head in Glorfindel's lap. 

"This isn't like you, not that I don't enjoy it," Glorfindel murmured, sliding a lazy hand into the dark fall of Elrohir's hair. "Why so quiet today, beloved?" 

Elrohir turned his head to cast a smile up to Glorfindel's face. "Everyone needs a rest from time to time," he said softly. And then, "It is now two _yen_ since Father sailed, and the time for choice is upon both Elladan and me. We were given the chance to delay it for a time, and that time is now up." 

"Oh," Glorfindel said. "And so you came out here to think." He took a breath. "Do you want me to go?"

"No," Elrohir said. "Tell me a tale, instead. Something you did when you were young and carefree, perhaps? A tale of Valinor. For the choice I must make is complicated: to choose the life of the Eldar means to abandon this home that is all I have ever known. Valinor may be fair and beautiful, but it won't be home like Imladris is home." He gestured to the Valley, hand taking in the whole of the landscape. "I know every stone on those hills, every blade of grass, near enough. I know nothing at all of Valinor."

Glorfindel looked upon the Valley himself for a moment. It was very beautiful in the light of summer, with the pines soughing above the rushing river, and the grasslands golden and green in the sunshine. In the distance, horses, cows, and sheep grazed. The roof beams of the Last Homely House were just visible, and even they looked welcoming, homelike. It was indeed a fair scene, and Glorfindel could understand why Elrohir would not want to give it up. 

"One day, long ago," he began, "when yet the light of the Moon and Sun had not touched the lands, and Laurelin and Telperion were all we knew, I desired to walk over lands untrodden and explore our home. North was my interest at the time, where the highest mountains stood, where it was rumoured white bears walked and snow ever lay on the ground." He shifted slightly to let Elrohir's head rest more comfortably against him, and then continued.

"So I went to find my friend Ecthelion --"

"Wasn't he your lover?" Elrohir broke in. 

"Not then," Glorfindel said. "We were agemates, and dear friends, but not lovers, not yet. He was at his flute when I arrived at his house, but eagerly agreed to go with me for a few days. So we took our horses and some supplies, and we rode north. Now, north in Valinor meant high mountains, capped with ever-snow, and we were both from Tirion, and though atop the hill of Tûna it may be, it was low-lying and the climate sultry warm, in comparison to even Imladris. Imagine being atop the Mindolluin in Gondor on a warm summer's day, and you will have the climate of Tirion almost exactly."

Elrohir nodded. "When we last visited Arwen, Elladan and I climbed to the topmost peak of the White Mountains in the heat of summer, and it was warm, but with a cool breeze, and very pleasant." 

"The northern regions and the mountains of Araman, then, Ecthelion and I were only half prepared for," Glorfindel said. "But we were hardy and strong under the light of the Trees, and young then, too. We feared nothing, and certainly not the cold or the heights. Abandoning our horses on the plains north of Formenos, we scaled Tamurilo, famed for its yew trees on the lower slopes. Some of those trees were ancient already when we climbed up, and those same trees may yet be there today." 

Glorfindel paused for a moment, then blushing said, "I will confess to cutting my name in the bark of one of the trees." 

Elrohir laughed. "I wonder if the tree still bears your name!" 

"It may be so!" Glorfindel said. "We camped under the trees during Telperion's light for rest, and their leaves sheltered us from the mists that surrounded the mountains in those days. Eventually the trees ended, replaced by low bushes, and then even those stopped. Above us hung great cliffs, topped with ever-snow, that separated us from the summit of the mountain."

"Ecthelion and I were determined to reach the top and have a tale to tell! At the base of the cliff, we left behind all our gear save our climbing apparatus, and pushed upward, heedless of the danger or the height. The cliff was soft in some places, and it crumbled away beneath my feet once or twice, but always I managed to find another foothold. I reached the clifftop first, and laughing pulled Ecthelion up. We stood on the summit, arms about each other's waists, and gazed upon the lands below."

"Elrohir, few things I have ever seen can compare to that sight of Valinor at peace, in the very morning of the world. It was the Mingling then, as we watched from far above, and silver-gold light caressed the air. It was so clear that we could see the tiny shapes of our horses as they frolicked on the plains below."

"Yet we did not know it, but the cliff was delicate. After a few minutes of perfect peace, we began to hear a groaning beneath us, the cliff crying out a warning. We only had the presence of mind to fling our arms about each other and hold on tight before the cliff-face gave way and we tumbled down, down, down into the abyss below our feet."

Elrohir gave a sharp gasp, but said nothing, and Glorfindel went on. "We tried to keep our feet amidst the scatter of small stones, but they were rapidly swept out from under us. It seemed an eternity of falling rock all about us. We were lucky not to be hit more than we were. At length we came to a halt, scrambling aside from the rockfall, on green grass where the mountain began to slope down gently into the plain. In that last desperate scramble, a rock hit my head and I knew no more."

"I came back to myself to find I was held tight in Ecthelion's arms. He was crying and kissing me over and over. For a moment I hardly dared move, but when at last I opened my eyes, it was to his face changing from the depths of despair to bright hope once more. He babbled some nonsense about fearing I was gone to the Halls, and how he would be devastated without me."

Elrohir smiled. "I can understand his feelings, love, I'd feel much the same." 

Laughing, Glorfindel pressed a kiss to Elrohir's brow. "I know. After a time of being fussed over unduly, I managed to get to my feet, and we stumbled down the mountainside, until at the foot we found our horses waiting to carry us off. I looked back at the great Tamurilo, and it was scarred, as though some great force had pummelled it. Rocks were scattered clear out into the plain below, and several of the glorious yew trees had fallen. We rode like the wind for the nearest settlement, Formenos, and there found aid for our injuries, and rest in comfort and safety."

"Did you ever go mountain-climbing in Valinor again?" Elrohir asked. 

"Many times," Glorfindel said. "And in Beleriand too, and here in Eriador. Yet no view ever compares to that first unstained view of the world at our feet, unless it might be that you should come with me, and together we will climb Tamurilo again, to see what Valinor looks like under the sun."

Elrohir smiled, then sat up, and kissed Glorfindel. "I think I will," he said soberly. "I think I will."


End file.
